Saint Patrick Centre Exhibition experience

Overview

Available languages

German

English

Italian

French

Spanish

Mobile ticket

Explore the world's only permanent exhibition on St Patrick. Newly renovated, our exhibition tells Patrick's story in his own words, as narrated by Oscar-nominated Ciaran Hinds. Follow St Patrick from his boyhood in Roman Britain, through his abduction by Irish pirates, to his escape from slavery on Slemish Mountain. Our new IMAX cinema, bold graphics and sculptures, combined with video and audio techniques, allow visitors to explore Patrick’s life and the major impact of Irish Missionaries in Dark Age Europe.

The Saint Patrick Centre is ideally located beside St Patrick's grave in the Medieval town of Downpatrick.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Specialized infant seats are available

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

All Fees and Taxes

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

The Saint Patrick Centre

Market Street Downpatrick United Kingdom

End points

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

The Saint Patrick Centre

Entirely new Exhibition for 2023 - The Saint Patrick Centre is the only permanent exhibition in the World about Ireland’s Patron Saint. The story of Ireland begins in the words of Patrick- the Roman, the Slave and Saint.

Admission Included

Options

Saint Patrick Centre Exhibition experience

Reviews

4.61

33 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

A Chilling Encounter at a Supposedly Welcoming Site
rebeccahU6443LR,
Aug 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00
This review isn’t about the exhibits. It’s about something far more important—how a person can be made to feel invisible in a place built to welcome the world. I visited with a tour group as a wheelchair user. I approached Patricia, the manager, to ask for directions to the restroom. She looked at me, pulled out her phone mid-question, and answered a call. No nod. No apology. Just a silent wall of indifference. When I tried again after her call, her reaction wasn’t neutral—it was strategically cruel. She turned to the man behind me, lit up with hospitality, and asked him if he needed assistance. I ceased to exist in her eyes—except for one glance, cold and clipped, like a door slamming in my face. I didn’t make it to the restroom in time. I sat in a stall, weeping—not from embarrassment alone, but from the weight of being treated like a nuisance. A ghost. There is no excuse for what happened. Accessibility isn’t about ramps and signs. It’s about humanity. And that humanity was stripped away by Patricia in front of an entire tour group.
2 Thumbs Up
nevanc2021,
Jul 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My experience at the Saint Patrick Centre was educating and impactful. The Centre did a fantastic job at teaching the importance of Saint Patrick to the entire island of Ireland as well as his continual modern day influences. It also had a nice cafe (with great sandwiches) and gift shop which were great stops during our time in Co. Down.
Interesting visit, learning new things
John A,
Jul 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
The self guided tour worked well in the main, there was one projector which had died and a couple of other audio visual elements were partially defective. (We did learn that that had experienced a system issue the day before). By the end we got the feeling they were running out of material and there was a lot of repetition.
Pleasant & informative multimedia experience
Explorer44739136479,
May 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Friendly multimedia visitor centre with a very appealing exhibition about St Patrick’s life. Enjoyed the beautifully crafted videos and audio, bringing St Patrick’s work alive. Can’t recall another museum with as pleasant an experience of consuming information. Lots of thought has gone into this. Would be ideal for kids too. The restaurant overlooks a pretty walled garden, the shop is ace and the staff are very welcoming.
Great place to buy souvenirs of local crafts
Valerie R,
Sep 14, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Have visited the Saint Patrick Centre on numerous occasions- usually for a cuppa between appointments - that said it is also somewhere I go to buy unusual gifts for friends and family. There are prices to suit all and the variety provides a wide selection to chose from ie. jewellery, mugs, plates, ornaments, picture frames, books and maps. Well with a trip of 1or 2 hours.
Fantastic centre- 100% recommended.
CLE68,
Jul 17, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A fantastic centre dedicated to the life and legacy of St Patrick. Really interesting to find out about his life sourced from his own writings. The story is told through videos, films and interactive displays. The staff are lovely and so helpful. It was a really great centre. The gift shop is lovely. Well stocked with a great range of Irish crafts, jewellery, clothes etc. Well priced and items to suit all pockets. Although we didn’t use the cafe, it looked nice and certainly was busy. This was a highlight of our trip and really worth visiting followed by seeing the grave of St Patrick at the nearby Cathedral.
Excellent - we learned so much but parking is an issue!
Eaglet64,
Jul 7, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We didn’t really know what to expect but we wanted to know more about St Patrick. What a fabulous surprise we got, the museum was excellent, so informative and very well done. The gift shop was huge and had such nice things and the cafe was superb. Highly recommend you visit here. Just one small issue - parking! We couldn’t find that the centre had a car park and as we had a lady with mobility issues we had to drop her off and go and find somewhere to park. To do this we needed the RingGo app which fortunately we did have but unfortunately we didn’t have data for our phone so that cost us a fortune!!!!!
Highly Recommend!
490jadens,
Jun 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I cannot recommend the Saint Patrick Centre enough! The staff were extremely welcoming and knowledgeable, and the exhibit was spectacular. The exhibition was engaging, informative, and very well done. The gift shop was great, too! If you're in the area, the Saint Patrick Centre is a must-see.
Amazing Experience
liambI1062MF,
Jun 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I cannot recommend the St. Patrick Centre enough. I entered the tour believing that I knew most of what there is to know about St. Patrick and I left the tour realizing that much of what I was taught about St. Patrick was inaccurate. The exhibit and videos were so well done and realizing that the exhibit is at the site of where Patrick’s ministry began is very humbling. Afterwards, the St. Patrick Centre’s director, Dr. Tim Campbell, spoke with our group and fielded questions about St. Patrick, Northern Ireland, Irish politics, history, culture, society etc. It was such a special experience. I can’t wait to come back to visit!
Visit the Center!!
Sarah S,
Jun 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely adored this center. The Patrick’s center is home to an incredible exhibit dedicated to the cultural significance and history of St. Patrick. It was very eye opening walking through the grounds of the center as they had much more to offer than the exhibit. The café is wondering and the atmosphere is very welcoming. The center creates a homey and calming ambience. I very much enjoyed myself at the center. It is also within close proximity of the cathedral at Down Patrick and St. Patrick’s grave. I highly recommend visiting here!!